It has been a remarkable year for Marcelo Gallardo’s River Plate but after the highs of capturing the Copa Libertadores, their end to the 2015 Primera season has been listless. On Sunday afternoon, a River reserve side were sunk by Newell’s Old Boys making it six matches in the Monumental without a win and only three victories from the last 12 rounds of the season.
With next to nothing on the line, the match had a last day of the season feeling to it with both sides creating chances in the opening hour but lacking the convinction to break the deadlock. In the 65th minute a mistake by promising youngster Emanuel Mammana handed the visitors the initiative. The Argentina under-20 defender miscontrolled a high ball and it allowed Denis Rodríguez to steal in behind and pull it back for older cousin, Maxi to slot in the opener. Mammana signed a new four-year deal at River this week and certainly has the potential to go all the way to the top but Sunday afternoon was another lapse of concentration that has been seen before.
River never really looked like scoring an equaliser and with minutes remaining Ignacio Scocco gave a reminder of why he was the best striker in the Primera a couple of years ago. The former Sunderland man has carried his Premier League form back to Rosario for the most part this season but rolled back the years to smash in an exquisitely timed volley and ensure the victory.
golazo argentino 